Pinball Kids: preventing school exclusions

The increase in school exclusions aren’t just an alarming statistic. It’s a social justice issue.

This new report, supported by the Betty Messenger Charitable Foundation and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, shows how the damage of school exclusions falls disproportionately on society’s most vulnerable groups, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The rise in exclusions has been caused by a ‘perfect storm’ hitting the system, from funding pressure to changes in the curriculum and inspections.

The key to preventing damaging school exclusions is building stronger relationships between students and teachers or school staff.

Download Pinball Kids: preventing school exclusions (pdf, 1.6 MB)

Read blogs:

• Pinball Kids – preventing school exclusions
• School innovation to reduce exclusions
• Creating change for the 'pinball kids'

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

• Invest in teams to support headteachers
• Create careers in pastoral/support roles
• Create template communications with parents so they know their rights
• Mandate record-keeping so we know where every child is in the system
• Non-teachers as leaders, heads of smaller tutor groups
• Support for transition from primary to secondary school
• Make inclusion part of Ofsted inspections